UNRSF 2024 consultation workshop on motorcycle safety and helmet standards held in Tehran

24 December 2025, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran – On 19 November 2025, a high-level consultation workshop on motorcycle safety and helmet standards was held at the Iranian National Museum of Medical Sciences History.

Photo credit: WHO Islamic Republic of Iran

Organized under the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) 2024 workplan by the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) and the WHO Country Office in Iran, the event convened representatives from government authorities, technical institutions and civil society to drive a unified approach to reducing motorcycle-related deaths and injuries.

Although certified helmets are available in the Islamic Republic of Iran, affordability constraints, counterfeit products and the scarcity of child-appropriate helmets undermine safe and consistent helmet use. Congested urban environments, limited training and inconsistent compliance with traffic rules compound the problems, and fragmented data across police; health and transport systems further limit effective enforcement and strategic decision-making. Motorcyclists constitute a significant proportion of the fatalities, estimated to be around 40% on urban roads and approximately 20% on inter-city roads. Surveys show that in the first six months of the year 2025, approximately 48% of traffic accident victims in Tehran city were motorcyclists.

The workshop allowed stakeholders to review existing gaps, compare national practices with international best practices and evidence and explore options for strengthening helmet standards, upgrading enforcement mechanisms and aligning regulations with internationally recognized frameworks such as UN Regulation No. 22.

Through interactive discussions, participants mapped behavioural, economic, regulatory and institutional challenges. Discussions highlighted the need for coordinated multisectoral action bringing together the NRSC, Traffic Police, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Institute of Standards & Industrial Research of Iran (ISIRI), municipal authorities, academia, civil society and private-sector partners to advance motorcycle safety at scale.

The consultation concluded with a set of actionable next steps, including strengthening helmet legislation, upgrading national standards, enhancing data systems, expanding public awareness initiatives and reinforcing market surveillance and enforcement capacity, which together will enhance road safety and protect millions of motorcycle users across Iran.

Selected photos from the mission